Breech-loading fire-arm



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1; R. A. BERGER. BRBEGH LOADING FIRE ARM.

Patented A r. 20, I886.

ATTORNBE u. PETERS. Pmwmm n mr. Waxhinglcn, n. c

2 SheetsSheet 2.

R E G R E B A R w M m BREEGH LOADING FIRE ARM. No. 340,192.

WITNESSES a? oqflk/ INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Warren STATES PATENT @rrrcaRICHARD ALFRED BERGER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM.

SPECIF;CA JION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,192, dated April20, 1886.

Application filed October 9, 1885.

To all 207mm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD ALFRED BER- GER, of Baltimore, in the Stateof Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBreech-Loading Fire-Arms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in lneech-loading lire-armsof that class in which thebarrel swings on a fulcrum of the stock bymeans of a lever; and the invention consists of a barrel fulcrnmed t0the stock and operated by a l'nlcrumed lever that swings the barrel intoinclined position and simultaneouslysets the hammer. On returning 1 hebarrel into normal position on the stock it is locked in position bylugs of the barrel, guidelugs of the lever, and a fixed block ofthestock. The hammer is retained in raised position by anaxially-turning guard device, an abutment of which engages aprojectingnose of the haminer, said abutmentclearingthe hammer when thelire-arm is to be discharged.

The invention consists, further, of certain details of construction,which will he fully described hereinafter, and finally pointed out inthe claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings,Figurelrep resentsa side elevation of myimproved breechloading tire-arm. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection of the same. showing theparts in position after firing. Fig. 3is a vertical longitudinal section showing the barrel in an inclinedposition, ready to receive a new cartridge. Fig. & is a side elevation,partly in vertical longitudinal section,showing thehammer in raisedposition. Fig. 5 is asectional side elevation showing a modification ofthe hammer.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings. A represents the barrel and B the stock of myimproved breech loading tire-arm. The barrel isfulcrnmed by a slottedlug, a, to a transverse pin, a, at the front end of the stock 13, thebarrel sliding by the slotted lug a on said pin, so as to be readilymoved into inclined position for supplying a new cartridge or locked tothe stock for firin Back of the fulcrum-pin c the front part of thestock isprovided with atixed cross-block or abutment, I), which, inconnection with the lug c and a second lug, d, back of the abutment 1),serves to lock the barrel to the stock.

The lug (Z has a groove, (1, at one side, which Serial No. 179,377. (Nomodel.)

groove serves to guide the lug (2 along a pin, (1", of the stock untilthe barrel arrives at the closed position. A transverse piece, 0, of thestock, back of the pin (1, serves as a stop for the lug d.

The barrel A is operated by alevcr, C, which is fulerumed at f to thestock B,and connected at its inner end by intermediate links, f f", tofixed ears f, located near the breech end of the barrel A. TheoperatingleverOisprovided with a log, I), that is rounded off at itsfront side, so as to pass readily alongtheabutment 1), and byitsstraight rear side along the rounded-off front face of the lug d, thelug 1) serving as a locking-piece, that enters between the abutment band the lug (Z of the barrel when the lever is placed in its normalposition, so as to lock the barrel securely to the stock, as shown inFig. 2.

To the outer end of the lever G is fulcrnined a spring-pressedcatch-piece, O, that engages a nose, (6, of the lug a, and retainsthereby the lever G in locked position. A hammer-rod, g, is pivoted tothe operatinglevcrO to a pointin front of the fulcrum f of the same,said hammer-rod being guided along a fixed cheek, of the stock and aspring, 2', of the extractor F. The rear end of the hammer-rod bearsagainst a heel, g, of the hammer D when the latter is in droppedposition, and raises the hammer whenever the lever O is thrown intodownward position, as shown in Fig. 3.

The hammer D is retained in raised position by the front end of afulcrumed and springpressed lever, D, which engages a nose, 9, of thehammer-butt. The rear end of the lever D is acted upon by the triggerllwvhen the same is pulled back, so as to release the hammer and causeit to be thrown forward by the action of its spring I) against thespring actuated firing-pin It, which is guided in a perforated abutment,B, of the stock in line with the axis of the barrel. The abutment B ismade in the shape of a socket, h, in front of the tiring-pin, into whichsocket the recessed breech end h of the barrel is accurately fitted, asshown in Fig. 2.

The extractor F is made in one piece with its spring 1', and pivoted tothe stock below the abutment B. The hook-shaped front end of theextractor F projects into a recess at the breech of the barrel andengages the rim of the cartridge-shell, so as to eject the same in theusual manner when the barrel is moved forward and into inclined in Fig.3.

The actuating mechanism and trigger of the hammer are of the usualwell-known construction, and require no further special deposition, asshown scription.

The hammer D may be arranged entirely within the stock B, or it may beextended through a slot of the stock B, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to beraised or lowered independently of the lever 0. When the hammer islocated within the stock, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, it is preferable toarrange in connection therewith a ham merguard, E, which acts as asafety device when the hammer has been set. The hammer-guard E isoperated by an eXterior thumb-piece, Z, that passes through aperforation of the stock, and is provided at its under side with a disk,1, having an abutment, Z The abutment Z engages a nose, Z, at the upperend of the hammer D 'when it is set by the thumb-piecel into the path ofthe hammer, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, whereby the harm nier is retainedin raised position, so as to preventthe release of the same and theaccidental discharge of the fire-arm.

For releasing the hammer, the abutment Z is moved out of the path of thehammer by turning the thumb-piece through an angle of ninety degrees tothe position shown in Fig. 2, in which position the abutment is sidewiseof the hammer, so as not to interfere therewith.

My improved fire-arm is operated as follows: After the same has beenfired the operatinglever U is taken hold of at its front end, wherebythe fulcrnmed catch-piece O is released from the nose a of the lug a ofthe barrel. The lever O is then turned in downward direction on itsfulcrum, which motion causes the barrel to be first moved forward by theaction of the links ff as far as permitted by the slot of the lug a, sothat the groove in the lug cl clears the pin (1 and permits the barrelto be moved into inclined position ready for receiving a new cartridge.Vfhen the cartridge has been inserted, the barrel is taken hold of bythe hand and pushed backward and downward on its fulcrum a, whereby thelever is automatically returned into its normal position, so as to lockthe barrel to the stock,whilc the breech end of the barrel A is broughthome into the socket hof the abntment B. \Vhen the barrel is in positionfor firing. the lugs a and (Z of the barrel interlock with thecross-block b of the stock and the lug b of the lever C, also the sidegroove of the lug d with the pin (1 of the stock and stop 6, so that arigid interlocking ofthe barrel, stock, and lever is obtained. \Vhen thebarrel is moved forward and then intoinclined position after tiring, theextractor F retains the rim of the shell and ejects the same, so thatthe bar rel is ready to receive another cartridge.

The advantages of my improved construction are simplicity ofconstruction and a quick and effective manipulation of the parts, re=

quiring only two movements to charge the barrelone to move the barrelinto inclined position to insert the cartridge, and a second movement tobring the barrel and lever home to their locked position on the stock.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the stock B, havinga fulcrum,a, a fixed crossblock, b, a lockingpin, d, and a stop, 6, a barrel, A,having a slotted lug, a, and a grooved lug, d, a ham mer, D, afulcrumedlever, 0, having an interlocking lug, b, pivot-links ff", connecting thelever to the barrel, and a settingrod, 9, pivoted to said lever andabutting againstsaid hammer, whereby the barrel is shifted and raisedand the hammer set simultaneously by the action of the lever O,substantially as described.

2. The combination of the stock 13, having a fulcrum, a, a fixed crosspiece, I), a pin, (1, and a transverse stop, e, a barrel, A, having aslotted lug, a, and a grooved lug, d. a t'ulcrumed lever, 0, having alug, b, linksff, connecting the lever with the barrel, and aspringpressed catch-piece, c, fulcrumed to the front end of the leverand engaging a nose, a, of the slotted lug a of the barrel,substantially as set forth.

3. In a breech-loading tire-arm, the combination, with the stock, of abarrel pivoted thereto and adapted to shift longitudinally on its pivot,a hammer in said stock, and a lever pivoted to said stock and adapted toshift and raise the barrel and to set the trigger simultaneously by adownward and backward movement of said lever, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination of the stock B, fulerumed barrel A, operatinglever 0,means, substantially as described, for locking the barrel and lever tothe stock or releasing them therefrom, a hammer-setting rod, 9, pivotedto the operatinglever, guide block 9, extractor F, pivoted in said stockand provided with the spring 2', compressed by rod 9, and hammer D,having a heel, 9 against which said rod 9 presses to cock the hammer,substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the pivoted and spring -actuated hammer I),having the nose I at the upper part, of the hammer-guard E, located inthe stock directly above the hammer, said guard comprising a disk, 1,having a downwardly-projectiug abutment, Z", at one edge thereof, and anexterior thumb-piece, Z, for opera-ting the same, whereby said disk isadapted to be turned axially to throw said abutment through an arc of acircle into or out of line with said hammer and engagement with the nosethereon, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses: Kit/HARD ALFRED BERGER.

MURRAY HANSON, WILLIAM H. BERRY.

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